8 Reasons Why the Sony Xperia Z is the Android Tablet to Beat

The Sony Xperia Z was one of the hottest gadget announcements at MWC a few weeks ago. And this week, we got to spend some hands-on time with it. And by hands-on, we mean that we got to cook with it and even shower with it. That is because the Xperia Z is waterproof! So unlike the plethora of Android powered tablets out there, the Xperia Z has several qualities that make it stand out, and not too mention – also make it quite lust-worthy.

Here are 8 reasons the Sony Xperia Z Tablet knocks the socks off of other Android tablets.

1. It’s Waterproof and Dustproof

The Xperia Z tablet has heritage from the Xperia Z smartphone which is a waterproof smartphone. To that effect it’s is water-resistant for as much as 30 minutes, and up-to 3 feet in water. It’s also dust resistant, making this one tablet that can handle itself at the beach and in the kitchen. We took things a step further and even tried taking a shower with the tablet. Just remember to close its ports before getting adventurous!

2. It’s a Universal Remote

Like its predecessor, the Tablet S, the Xperia Z tablet does double duty as a large universal remote. We tried using it with our hotel TV and it recognized the TV instantly without any complicated tweaking. So you can just say no to using germy remote controls from now on.

3. Finally a Good Camera on a Tablet!

Most tablets have a subpar camera that can’t even compare to its smartphone counterparts. But the Xperia Tablet Z packs in an 8MP HD camera with an Exmor R sensor. We were impressed with how its camera is both fast and can produce great shots, even in low light.

5. It’s Crazy Thin

Measuring, 6.9mm The Xperia Z tablet is the thinnest tablet in its class. That includes being thinner than the iPad. Plus weighing in at just 495 grams, we were able to carry it around everyday in our backpack for 3 days straight and hardly noticed its heft at all.

6. It’s got a Large, Vivid, High-Res Display

The Xperia Z tablet packs in a 10.1” with a full 1080P display that is powered by the Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2. That translates to a bright, sharp display with vivid colors – one of the best you can find on a tablet, and it’s also a significant improvement over its predecessors.

7. It’s Tough

Despite being so thin, it’s also very tough thanks to its front display made out of durable tempered glass, with anti-shatter film. Sony allowed us to take the tablet with us around Park City, Utah, during three days of intense winter sports activities. It came back without a scratch.

8. It Sounds Great

Most tablets lack serious sonics. But the Xperia Z tablet packs in 4 speakers and Clear Audio for a louder and more powerful audio experience.

It’s worth noting that the Xperia Z tablet also packs in NFC and a fast 1.5 Ghz quad core processor, along with Android Jelly Bean 4.1, making it pretty future proof. The Sony Xperia Z tablet should be available soon, and it will retail for $499 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and $599 for the 32GB Wi-Fi model. It will also be available in a choice of white or black.